WASHINGTON — Energy Secretary Rick Perry defended President Trump's decision not to meet directly with victims of Hurricane Harvey, telling reporters en route to Texas that he "recommended to the president that he not go down range."

Perry, the former Texas governor, said Trump "went to the right place at the right time" during his visit to Texas on Tuesday, when he visited Corpus Christi and Austin but avoided the worst damage in Houston.

"The president wanted to go early, he wanted to go Monday. And he really wanted to be where there were citizens being affected. He was advised: the better place for you to go is Corpus Christi or San Antonio or Austin, where no search and rescue resources would be pulled away from what they're doing. That's always been good advice," Perry said.

Perry spoke to reporters aboard Air Force Two as Vice President Pence flew to Corpus Christi for his own survey of the damage, two days after Trump's trip.

Trump's Tuesday trip brought along first lady Melania Trump, senior White House officials and four Cabinet members. While in Texas, Trump met with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other state and local emergency response officials.

"After witnessing first hand the horror & devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, my heart goes out even more so to the great people of Texas!" Trump tweeted the next morning.

But except for some downed trees, fences and road signs visible from his motorcade, Trump mostly saw the insides of government buildings.

Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders stood by the president's statement, telling reporters on a trip to Missouri for a tax reform speech that he met with state and local officials who were dealing with the crisis.

"He met with a number of state and local officials who are eating, sleeping, breathing the Harvey disaster," she said. "And detailed briefing information throughout the day yesterday talking to a lot of the people on the ground — that certainly is a firsthand account."

"This isn't about Texas. This is about America and American citizens," he said. You've got people from all over the world that have been impacted, folks who aren't American citizens that have been impacted. The idea that this is just about Texas is a bit of a misnomer. This is an international city. The world is watching this."

The Energy secretary also said he expects gas prices to rise as oil refineries along the Gulf Coast remain offline for repairs from the storm and flooding. He called on state attorneys general to investigate price gouging "in a very hard way."

"Anybody who is considering raising prices above what could be considered to be appropriate needs to watch out," he said.

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Perry shakes hands with members of his staff following his swearing-in ceremony on March 2, 2017, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. He was confirmed by the Senate as Energy secretary earlier that day. Andrew Harnik, AP

Perry speaks during the Eagle Council XLIV, sponsored by the Eagle Forum, at the Marriott St. Louis Airport in St. Louis on Sept. 11, 2015. During his speech Perry ended his second bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Robert Cohen, AP

Perry observes a training session with the 36th Engineer Brigade as they practice putting on and wearing protective clothing and gloves on Oct. 9, 2014, at Fort Hood, Texas. The brigade was set to deploy to Liberia to help fight the Ebola outbreak. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News, via AP

Perry prepares to eat a hamburger that contains the beef product known as pink slime, or lean finely textured beef, on March 29, 2012, in South Sioux City, Neb. The governors of Iowa, Texas and Kansas and lieutenant governors of Nebraska and South Dakota toured the Beef Products Inc. plant to show their support for the company and the several thousand jobs it creates. Nati Harnik, AP

Perry embraces his wife, Anita, at the Victory Texas and Republican Party of Texas election night watch party at the Texas Disposal Systems Exotic Game Ranch on Nov. 2, 2010, in Buda, Texas. Perry was elected to his third term, defeating Democratic challenger Bill White. Ben Sklar, Getty Images

Rick Perry, then the Republican candidate for Texas agriculture commissioner, talks with reporters on Oct. 19, 1990, during a campaign stop in Waco, Texas. Perry traveled across the state in a vintage World War II B-25 bomber. Rod Aydelotte, Waco Tribune-Herald, via AP